There is no immediate threat of Paul Heckingbottom being sacked at Sheffield United, sources have told Football Insider.
Widespread reports have suggested the 46-year-old could be replaced by ex-manager Chris Wilder following the Blades’ poor start to the 2023-24 campaign.
However, a well-placed source has told Football Insider that Heckingbottom will be given time to turn things around after a tough transfer window.
Sheffield United lost two of last season’s top performers – Sander Berge and Illiman Ndiaye – to Burnley and Marseille respectively.
The Blades have picked up one point from a possible 15 to start the new campaign following promotion to the Premier League last term.
They sit just outside the relegation zone by virtue of goal difference and have also been dumped out of the League Cup.
Heckingbottom’s side have suffered two late collapses from winning positions against Man City and Tottenham in recent weeks.
But it is believed there is no panic about the situation from the club’s Saudi Arabian owner, despite management in the top-flight being very much a results business.
Heckingbottom led the Blades to a second-place finish in the Championship last season amid a backdrop of chaos relating to Abdullah Bin Mosaad Al Saud’s takeover.
He succeeded Wilder at Bramall Lane in an initial caretaker role back in March 2021, and was eventually given the job permanently in November of that year.
The 46-year-old won 28 of a possible 46 Championship games last term to ensure the Blades’ return to the Premier League.
Sheffield United agree deal to sign highly-rated Celtic player
Sheffield United have moved to strengthen the youth ranks further by adding Celtic youngster Evan Easton to the squad.
Confirmed by the club’s official website just now, United have moved to sign both Easton from Celtic and another youngster, Jay Tinsdale, from Bradford City.
Both players will go straight into the under-21s set-up under Michael Collins and will give further depth to the squad.
Sheffield United sign Evan Easton from Celtic
Easton, 18, moved to Celtic after initially impressing at Partick Thistle.
Predominantly a defender, Easton will be hoping to make an immediate impression on proceedings at Shirecliffe and he follows fellow Scot, Ryan One, to the club.
Paul Heckingbottom has spoken in recent weeks about the need to replenish the stocks when it comes to youth players.
United have lost a number of players in the last few seasons, including Ky Midwood and Will Lankshear, and Heckingbottom has been keen to replace those players.
Signing Easton and Tinsdale is another sign of United’s attractiveness as a club to young players.
The work for Easton and Tinsdale will now start, with Michael Collins’ side having had huge success in the last few years.
Sheffield United News View: More talent is a bonus
It’s always vital that United add young players to the ranks and adding a player from a club like Celtic is a big coup really.
Yes, Easton will have a long way to go before making any sort of impression on the first-team. But for him to move on from Celtic and choose United is a good sign for the club.
We expect to see more of this over the course of the season to be honest. While we cannot always attract the best players at first-team level, we can use our PL status to attract youngsters to set us up for the future.